Filling replenishing mechanism for automatic filling replenishing looms



May 20, 1952 E. L. ROULLARD 2,597,599

FILLING REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOMS Original Filed Aug. 29, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet l May 20, 1952 E, ROULLARD 2,597,599

FILLING REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOMS Original Filed Aug. 29, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 20, 1952 E. ROULLARD 2,597,599

FILLING REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOMS Original Filed Aug. 29, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet I5 1 I, l i i s i i; 75 ;v 45

47 Z4 I: a?

I I T 1' 7 T 4 7 "f, I III 44 6- mmm/ C5 i 39 I l 1' 9 -I9 1! 3 I I" i I II I Q! 1 flit I! 2 I I we? "3l n I II II '1 Iawezaizzai- May 20, 1952 E. L. ROULLARD 2,597,599

FILLING REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOMS Original Filed Aug. 29, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 20, 1952 E. ROULLARD FILLING REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOMS Original Filed Aug. 29, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 z-fizii y 1952 E. ROULLARD FILLING REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOMS Original Filed Aug. 29, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 leave-22202 Edzva' .ZI. llzzai d,

y 1952 E. ROULLARD 2,597,599

FILLING REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOMS Original Filed Aug. 29, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 M y 1952 E. L. ROULLARD 2,597,599

FILLING REPLENISHING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC FILLING REPLENISHING LOOMS Original Filed Aug. 29, 1947 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Fig.8.

Patented May 20, 1952 U N! TED FILLI N G-REPLENISHIN G MECHANISM FOR LOOMS- AUTOMA-TiC YFILLIN'G -REPLENISHING Edward L.'-'Roullard, Sanfrd,'= Maine, assignor to Goodall'-?Sanford,.:'Inc., Sanford,

iporation 'of'Maine Original applicati 7 715296. Divide -Maine, a coron August 29,1947, seriarNo. d and this a plication November 3,'1 950,Serial=-No. 1:93.781

aleClaims. 1 This inventionrelates'more particularly tosthat type of loom in which twocshuttlesiarewsimub taneously picked in the same directionin the weaving operation. Looms of thiSKtYDGTaIEWGH known and familiar and are 'employedifor 'we-avf ing certain special types of fabric, for simultaneously weaving two websof fa'bric, and 'also rfor weaving double pile fabric where "ther-pile is formed by warp yarns extending back andfforth between oppositely disposed ground or abase fabrics and in which thepile is'severed as the weaving operation proceeds. V

The object of the present invention is to provide means for efiecting'automatic filling replenishment with the replenishment taking place from the top. .Automatic filling replenishing looms have proven most satisfactorywhen thez'replenishing operation takes placefrom the top, that is, with the fresh filling carrier'introduced to, and the exhausted filling carrier discharged from, the box on the lay byadownward movement. But the application of this vprinciplexto the type of loom here involved has heretofore seemed impossible because of thczposition vof the two shuttles one above the other 'and'the present invention is concerned with a'simplerand effective solution of this problem.

The invention has for its further object'ito provide certain improvements inthe-magazines and transferrring mechanisms of automatic filling replenishing mechanism.

The invention has for its further :object "to provide improved mechanisms-for effecting :the stopping of the loom in'the c'ase of a 'm'is'epositioned shuttle in the double shuttle type of loom.

These and other objects-and features of the invention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings ,and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Since the general constructioniand operation of the double shuttle type of loom,in which-the shuttles are simultaneously picked in the same direction with the various 'adjunctive-mec'hanisms employed in its operation; are -wel1-known and familiar to those-skilled in theamend-since the present invention is only concerned-with certain features of such looms, it is unnecessary-to illustrate and describe anything'more than that portion of a typical loom of this type'which' is'required in the disclosure of a preferred'forrn of the present invention.

So also since automatic filling replenishing mechanisms of various types are 'w'elkknown: and familiar and have long been'appliedytovarious types :of looms, it 'is" necessary .to illustrate -and desc-r-ibe in detail only those featuresgof such mechanisms as areanecessary to a disclosure 0f a preferred form or the present invention.

:Imabusual loom the filling is carried backand forth through the shed by a shuttle holding a bob'binJon :which the filling is wound an'd this :sh uttlesat each end. of its movement enters a box. *Filling replenishment may .take place either by r-'cl'ianging the entire a shuttle and bobbin or by '10 :changing the bobbin alone and the.present.in-

vention lmay beembodied in eithertype, that ainrthe broader scope of the invention it is adaptable to eitherzthe shuttle changing or the bobbin rtchanging'iitype .Ofllooln in effecting fillingreplen- :ishment. Consequentlylthe .term' filling carrier asigenerallytemployed herein is applicable either $130-$118: shuttleand' bobbin unit or to the bobbin ealone, fit sbeing understoodof course that the zterm ibobbinwincludes any type of :device upon zo ivhich filling is wound and mounted inthe shuttle.

..In.4th'e 'drawings zFig. :lzis a: top; plan view. of those portions of-a -t=loom-iofcthe type here involved with which the :Lprestantsinvention is involved :and with a :pre- 25.;fer'red:forrn':of'the invention embodied therein; lz'Fig. il -(1i is a .diagrammatic illustration-of an relectrical rneans'"employed for initiating "the .610- erati'on :of' replenishment uponindication 'offill- .ingidepl'etion;

Fig. :2'Iis a front elevation of the right 'hand -Jend -:'of :the mechanism illustrated in .Eig. '1 with theibreast beam rand .front portion of the loom removed;

:Fig. 3-.iswan en'd*elevation of the construction sh'owhiinrfig. 11. lookingtoward the right, and

rwithrsomez of ithe portions removed and broken away;

Fig. 4 is a viewsimilantoFig. -3on-a larger --scale of a that portionof the mechanism directly 'tconcerned with the 1 transfer operation;

Figs.-5; 6,- and 7illustratethe main-portions of {the tr ansfer mechanism inthree positions, first, g normal position; second, upon simultaneous indi- 'cati-on=of'- depletion in'both filling carriers; and,

third; at therendof the transferring. operation;

Fig. a8; is =a-t opplan view of a portionof the mechanism ofthelmagazines, transferrers, etc.

:Fig59 is .adetail--to illustrate particularly the give ways-at-the right handside of the magazines. In the loom illustratedt-helay I, 'as usual -is carried :bythe lay swords 2 pivotally mounted at3 i-n'the loom frame and the usual crank shaft 4 .journaled in the loom frame is connected by the links 5 -to the lay and acts tomove thelay backsand-forth betweenfront and back centers.

The lay also carries the usual reed 6. The two fabrics woven on this type of loom, separated by a knife 1 in the case of double plush, pass respectively around the upper and lower rolls 8 and 9.

The loom is supplied with the usual starter rod at the front manually operated at either end by the handles H to start and stop the loom. The usual frogs 12 are mounted at each side on the loom frame at the front and connected by the usual mechanism to the starter rod so that when either is moved forward the loom is stopped.

In the type of loom in which the two shuttles are simultaneously picked the shuttles travel in superposed relation and are therefore superposed before and after each picking operation and this has prevented filling replenishment from above. In the present invention at the replenishing side of the loom one of the filling carrier boxes, such as a shuttle box, is mounted On a support which is independent of the lay, but which is given a movement in unison or synchronism with the lay between a position rearward of front center and back center and with the two boxes, the one on the support and the other on the lay, during the period the filling carriers are picked out of and into the boxes. This is the important feature of the invention because while the two boxes are superposed during the picking period the box on the support at each beat-up when the lay is at front center stands in a position rearward of front center. Thus transfer of a fresh filling carrier from above may, with the boxes in this position, be into either or both boxes without interference. The filling carrier box, such as the shuttle box, on the support movable independently of the lay, may be either the lower or the upper box when it and the box on the lay are in superposed relation, but preferably as illustrated the upper box is on the support because this enables a filling carrier, such as a bobbin, to be transferred from a position directly above and close to either box, that is, the mouth of a transferrer magazine may then be located directly over the lower box on the lay and in front of the upper box on the support without interference. If, however, the lower box is on the support and superposed the upper box on the lay then to reach front center the lay must carry the upper box beneath the mouth of the magazine for the lower box on the support and thus there would be required a more extended movement of the transferrer to transfer a filling carrier from the magazine into the lower box. While this is entirely practical it is preferable, however, to mount the upper box on the support as illustrated and thus enable the mouth of the magazine for each box to be close to the box when in transfer position.

The support is shown as a frame l3 carried by a shaft l4 journaled in the loom frame slightly in the rear of the pivot 3 on which the lay swings. This support is shown as given its backward and forward movement by a cam l5 on the crank shaft l. This cam engages a roller I6 yieldingly mounted by means of the spring I! on a lever I8 pivoted on the loom frame at 19 and connected at its other end by a link 20 with the support. A spring 2| connecting the support to a bar 22 on the loom frame acts to hold the support against the face of the cam I5,

The lay carries the lower shuttle box 23 and the support the upper shuttle box 24. These boxes may be of the usual type open at the top and bottom and provided with the usual front binders 25 and 26. The boxes at the other end of the lay are, of course, of the usual type the one superposed upon the other and both mounted on the lay.

. The picking of the shuttle takes place during a period when the lay is approaching, is at, and is withdrawing from back center and during this period the boxes must be in superposed position and this is secured by the shaping of the cam 15.

Since the boxes are widely separated fore and aft when the lay is at front center it is necessary to modify the picking mechanism. In the preferred form of the present invention this is accomplished by mounting two picker rods, 21 for the upper box and 28 for the lower box, on the support l3 at its upper end and providing a picker 29 on each rod. The support l3 carries a heel portion 30 which lines up with the end of the box on the lay when the boxes are in superposition so that the picker for the lower shuttle may aline with the end of it. These pickers are given their picking movement by a picker stick 3i pivoted at 32 on an arm 33 carried by the shaft 14, yieldingly held outwardly by the spring 34 and given its picking movement by the connection 35 to the usual rocker arm 36. Thus the picker stick swings backward and forward with the support and it, and the pickers operated thereby are in position for simultaneously picking the two shuttles when the boxes are in superposed position.

As it is well known, it is necessary to provide mechanism for stopping the loom if a shuttle is improperly boxed at the end of the picking operation, and for this purpose it is usual to provide frogs, such as l2 above referred to, which are moved forward by a dagger carried by the lay. This dagger is held out of position if the shuttle is properly boxed, but drops into position to engage the frog if the shuttle is improperly boxed. Since in the present invention one box at the transfer side of the loom is carried by a support independent of the lay, and since at each beat-up the support stops at a position rearward of front center, the usual mechanism cannot be employed.

The usual shaft 31 is mounted on the lay and has near each end daggers 38 to cooperate with the frogs l2. This shaft 31 is provided at the right hand end with an arm 39 engaging a lever 40 fulcrumed at 4| on the lay and in turn engaging at its upper end the binder 23. A similar construction is provided at the opposite end. Consequently, it will be seen that if the shuttle at either end of the lay is properly boxed the binder will press against the lever 40 and hold the dagger 38 elevated so that as the lay moves to front center the frog will not be engaged to stop the loom. This arrangement is generally familiar. To take care of the upper shuttle box a second shaft 42 is mounted on the lay and provided with daggers 43. At the transfer side of the loom this shaft 42 is provided with an arm 44 extending back past the support 13 when the support and lay are at forward positions and consequently at their widest point of separation. This arm 44 is engaged by a bell crank lever fulcrumed at 45 on the support above the position of the box. This bell crank lever has one arm 46 engaging at its end the front binder of the box on the support and its other arm is constituted as a rod 41 extending down and engaging the arm 44. Thus the bell crank lever carried by the support engages the front binder and extends over, down and behind the box on the support and acts to control the position of the dagger 63 so that if a shuttle'is not properly boxed inthe box onthe support the-dagger-42 carried by the lay-will be in' such position as to effect stoppage of theloom when the-lay approaches front center.

The filling replenishing --mechanism employs two magazines one for supplying each filling carrier box. Preferably these are 'of the vertical type and when, as in the preferredform illustrated, the filling is replenished by-changing the bobbins in the shuttle these magazines each support a vertical column of the fresh bobbins which feed down by gravity in the-magazines. Associated with each magazine is a transferrer or pivoted hammer-like devicewhioh upon the call for filling replenishment acts to transfer the lowermost bobbin in the magazine'to the shuttle when located directly beneath the magazine. The two sets of mechanism are preferably substantially the same in construction the only variations being due to slightly different location. Both magazines are shown as supported byan arm d3 projecting upward from the front'portion of the loom frame and extending rearward. The magazine at the front for supplying the box on the lay is shown as comprisingtwo vertical grooved columns 49 and '59 in which respectively the butts and tips of the bobbins rest and are uided in their vertical downward movement.

At the bottom of the magazine a cradle 52 is pivoted at 53 and acts to support the lowermost bobbin. The mouth of the magazine is formed at each end by a pair of yielding give ways into which, by the rocking of the cradle at the proper time, the lowermost bobbin is-discharged and held ready for transfer into the shuttle therebeneath. In. the construction illustrated the give ways at the right hand side of the magazine comprise two fingers. At the rear is a curved finger 5d pivoted on the magazine at 55 and yieldingly held by aspring'tt against an adjustable stop 51. .At the front is a cooperating finger 58 pivoted at 59 on an arm 50 depending from a transverse shaft fil pivotally mounted at the front of the magazine. the finger engages an adjustable stop 63 on the arm at properly to position the finger. A spring a l on the shaft El between the collar 65 and the projection iitfrom the magazine grooved column 5c in which projection the shaft (ii is pivoted acts to hold the finger 53 yieldingly in position. At the left hand side of the magazine the give way construction also comprises two fingers (see Fig. 7). The forward finger 6'! is similar in construction to the finger 58 at the left and is similarly mounted and operated by the shaft 5!. The other finger at the rear is a simple curved spring 68 secured at its upper end to the column 49 of the magazine.

It will thus be seen that, when the cradle 52 is rocked to discharge the lowermost bobbin 5|, the bobbin is dropped into the give ways which form the mouth of the magazine, the tipbeing yieldingly held between the fingers 54 and 58 and the butt between the fingers .68 .and 61.

The rear magazine for supplying the fresh filling carriers to the box on the independently mounted support is similar in construction. It comprises the verticalgrooved columns 69 and 79, the cradle H pivoted at 12 and has at the right the give way fingers l3 and I4 corresponding in constructionand operation respectively to the fingers 54 and 58. It also has at the left the give way fingers 15 corresponding to the finger 6B and a finger similar in construction An extension 62 of.

and operation 'to the -finger 14 both ef which latter are supported and operated from the sha'ft it in the same manner -'as;the c'orresponding fingers for the front magazine are supported and operated from the shaft-'6 I Consequently, when the-cradle "H -is rocked the lowermost-bobbin in this m'agazine is discharged into and held by the give ways which form -the mouth of the 'magazinein 'pos'itionfor transfer to the-shuttleinthe box-on the support.

The transferrersor hammer-like "devices which transfer the freshfill-ing carriers intothe-shuttles, are also preferably of i similar construction and operation. 'Ihese are mountedon-stub shafts I7 and "Hiprojecting from 'a suitable rigi'd support iii extendingupward from the ioom rrame.

The -trans'ferrer 8il for'the forward ma'ga'zine isformed with a slee'vetl pivoted on the' stub shaft 18 and at its rearwardend isprovided with a lateral extension 82 adapted-toextendalong over and force the bobbin "from thegive ways into the shuttle when the transfermovement takes place. The transferrer'is 'yieldingly raised by any suitable spring construction such as the spring '83 and its extremes of movement are limited by adjustable set screws' 84'mounte'd in the arms 85 and adaptedto engage a'fixed 'portion of the frame, such as the sleeve of the other transferrer. This transferrer-BD for' the forward shuttle is shownas including a 'sli'de s'ection"- 93 which carries the lateral extension '82. *This section 93 is yieldingly held-by'the spring "94 in rearward position as determined by the adjusting screw Sta. This prevents damage if, -for any reason, the upper shuttle does not stay 'backon the beat-up. If it is carried" forward it simply presses the slide section forward.

The transferrer 89 has pivoted thereon at 86 the usual dog 8'! resting upon an adjustable stop 88 in the arm -89 projected downward "from the transferrer. The transferrer is normally held latched in amid-position, such'fonexar'nplej-as shown in Fig. 5. Any suitable la'tching mechanism may be employed, such as the latch device 9! pivoted on the shaft '92 'secured inthe arm in turn mounted on th'e'frame and cooperating with the end of the transferrer-section 93.

tending to raise it and with the dog 81'be1owthe path of the hunter 95 on the lay. In'this position the cradle stands, as shown in Fig. 5, supporting the lowermost bobbin in'the magazine. This cradle is provided'with a rearward extension 95 adapted to cooperate-with acam 91 mounted on the transferrer.

The latching mechanism of the transferrer is released upon the call for filling replenishment and any suitable mechanism may be employed for that purpose. As illustrated inFigs. 1 and 1-0: indication of filling exhaustion ismade at the left hand side of the loom and for that'purpose there is shown an electrically operating feeler mechanism in 'whicha pair ofcontacts 98 and 99 enter the side of theshuttle at'e'ach beatup and contact with-a metal sleeve onthe'bobbin when exposed by depletion of the-filling. This closes the circuit through a solenoid Hi6 which operates a hook member Hit-to release the latching mechanism.

The operation of the t'ransfer 'mechanism will now be apparent. 'I-hepar'tsare in theposition indicated in Fig. 5 during the normal operation of the loom. Upon depletion of filling in the lowermost shuttle at the left hand side of the This holds the transferrer 'latched in a mid -position against the tension of the spring 83 lay upon the beat-up, the latching mechanism of the transferrer 80 is released and immediately the hammer rises under the influence of its spring to its uppermost position. This brings the cam 01 into engagement with the extension 96 of the cradle 52 rocking the cradle and allowing the lowermost bobbin to drop into the give ways and at the same time the dog 81 is raised into the path of the hunter on the lay. The parts are now in the position shown in Fig. 6 and on the next beat-up of the lay the hunter 95 engages the dog 81 causing the transferrer to swing clockwise and force the fresh bobbin held in the give ways into the shuttle therebeneath and thus force the depleted bobbin out of the shuttle down through the usual opening in the lay. As the transferrer rocks the cam B'Imoves away from the extension 96 of the cradle and the cradle swings back to normal position. The position of the parts at the conclusion of the transferring operation is shown in Fig. '7.

Now as the lay movesback the transferrer rises under the influence of its spring but is caught in its mid-position by the latch swung back by the spring 92a beneath th eend section 93.

The construction and operation of the transferrer mechanism thus described with respect to the forward magazine is substantially the same for the rear magazine. In this case the transferrer arm I02 is pivoted 'II slightly above and to the left of the transferrer 80. It is provided with a similar extention I03 to extend over the bobbin to be transferred from the give ways of the rear magazine.

A suitable spring at any convenient point, either on the stub shaft 11 or as shown at I05 (in Fig. 4) acts yieldingly to raise the transferrer. The dog IDS is pivoted on the depending portion I01 of the transferrer and held in position by the adjustable stop I00. The latch member I09a in this case is pivoted on the shaft I09 which is also mounted on the arm 90 and is yieldingly held by the spring I09b in engagement with the depending portion I01 of the transferrer. This transferrer is provided with a projection IIO to cooperate with the extension I I I of the cradle II.

The operation upon the call for filling replenishment in the shuttle on the support is thus substantially the same as that already described. With the parts in normal position, as shown in Fig. 5, when the call comes, see Fig. l-a, the feelers II2--I I3 close the circuit through the solenoid H4 and the hook H5 is actuated to release the latching mechanism and the transferrer rises to its uppermost position causing the projection IIO to rock the cradle II and drop the lowermost bobbin in the magazine into the give ways bringing the parts to the position shown in Fig. 6 and again upon the next beat-up transfer takes place the parts coming into the position shown in Fig. 7 and then as the lay moves back the transferrer rises and is caught in midposition by the latch and the parts are again in normal position. The latches BI and I09a, as shown in Fig. 1, are provided respectively with laterally extending arms 9Ia and I090 to cooperate with the hooks IOI and H5.

Since each time the lay i at front center with its box beneath the mouth of the front magazine the support with its box is also at its forward position in the rearward of front center with its box directly beneath the mouth of the rear magaon the stub shaft 8 zine, it follows that transfer of a fresh filling carrier may be made into either box or into both boxes at the same time without any danger of interference and in each case with the transfer taking place directly downward and with the exhausted bobbin discharging directly downward.

This application is a division of application Serial Number 771,296, filed August 29, 1947, now Patent No. 2,562,509, July 31, 1951.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine for the fresh filling carriers and a transferrer having a dagger for cooperation with a hunter on the lay to effect transfer of a filling carrier from the magazine the combination of means for yieldingly raising the transferrer, a cradle controlled by the transferrer for holding the filling carriers in the magazine, a latch for holding the transferrer in a mid-position with the cradle supporting the lowermost filling carrier, and means for releasing the latch upon in dication of filling depletion in an active filling carrier thereby to cause the transferrer to rise and release a fresh filling carrier into transfer position and bring the dagger into the path of the hunter.

2. In a filling replenishing mechanism the combination described in claim 1 together with means acting to cause the latch to engage the transferrer as it rises after transfer and lock the transferrer in mid-position.

3. In a filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine for the fresh filling carriers and a transferrer the combination of means acting yieldingly to raise the transferrer, means for latching the transierrer in a mid-position. and means for holding the lowermost filling carrier in the magazine actuated upon upward movement of the transferrer from normal mid-position to release the said filling carrier to transfer position.

4. In a filling replenishing mechanism including a magazine for a column of fresh filling carriers, give ways beneath the magazine for yieldingly holding a filling carrier in transfer position, a cradle acting normally to support the lowermost filling carrier in the magazine and movable to release said filling carrier to the give ways the combination of a transferrer acting when raised from a normal mid-position to move the cradle to release the said filling carrier, means acting yieldingly to raise the transferrer, means for latching the transferrer in the normal midposition, means acting upon the call for filling replenishment to unlatch the transferrer and thus allow it to rise and means for then giving the transferrer its downward transferring movement.

EDWARD L. ROULLARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,111,526 Bird Mar. 15, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 802,545 France June 13. 1936 

